Lentil Taco Meat

Perfect for Meatless Mondays


(stuffs about 10-12 tacos)

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 large bell pepper, chopped (any color)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (any kind)
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
2 ribs of celery, sliced
1-1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
dash cayenne
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp lime juice

Heat 1/4 cup water in a large skillet. Saute onion for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes. If the pan starts to dry up and the contents start sticking, add a tablespoon or two more of water. Add in the lentils, carrots, celery, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, bay leaf, and cayenne, and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium low and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture starts drying out, add 1/4 cup water or broth.

Remove from heat and carefully drain off any extra liquid (a little bit of liquid is fine, excessive liquid is not desirable). Remove bay leaf and stir in tomato paste and lime juice. Transfer to food processor or blender and pulse a few times, until a crumbly texture is achieved--do not puree. Serve hot.

Vegetable Lasagna Recipe

Vegetable Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients 8 oz package lasagna noodles (gluten free) 2-3 medium tomatoes, diced small 8 oz can tomato sauce 6 oz can tomato paste 1 medium green pepper, seeded and diced fine. 2 small or 1 large yellow onion, diced small 1/2 tsp. rosemary 1 tsp. oregano 1/2 tsp. thyme. 1/2 tsp. basil 3 tsp. Italian seasoning mix 1/2 lb. fresh sliced mushrooms 1 medium broccoli bunch, washed and broken into small florets 1 large green zucchini, sliced thinly 1/4 cup fresh basil washed and chopped well 2 eggs slightly beaten 1 cup ricotta cheese, use lowfat if you like (dairy free and soy free) Cooking Instructions Cook noodles according to directions on package. If your using the short-cut no cook noodles set aside. Combine chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, chopped green pepper, half of the diced yellow onions, rosemary, oregano, thyme and dry basil in saucepan. Gently bring to a low boil, stir frequently while simmering covered for about 10 minutes. Combine the sliced mushrooms, broccoli florets, diced red peppers, the other half of the diced yellow onions, thinly sliced zucchini and Italian seasoning mix. Toss gently. In another bowl, mix fresh basil with the eggs and ricotta cheese. Spread a small amount of the sauce mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Layer half the noodles, vegetables, sauce and ricotta cheese mixture. Repeat. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly. Carefully remove from oven and let sit about 5 minutes before serving. by JollyCook | a Healthy Choice Recipe

Kitchen Sink Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 1 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 2 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed
  
• 3/4 cup salsa, drained
• 1 8-count package gluten free tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) gluten, soy, and dairy free shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack (Daiya cheese works well)
  
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• juice of 1 to 2 limes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 head romaine lettuce, sliced 1 inch thick

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. In a medium bowl, combine the beans, corn, and salsa. Place 4 tortillas on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet.
2. Sprinkle the tortillas with half the cheese. Using a slotted spoon, top with the bean mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese; top with the remaining tortillas.
3. Bake the quesadillas until the cheese has melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the onion, cilantro, salt, pepper, lime juice, and oil. Add the lettuce and toss.
5. Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges. Serve with the salad.

By Kate Merker, January 2007

Nutritional Information

• Per Serving 1 quesadilla
  
• Calories 175

• Fat 7.5g
• Sat Fat 3 g
• Cholesterol 11.25 mg
  
• Sodium 280 mg
• Carbohydrate 21 g
• Fiber 3.75 g
• Sugar 2.5 g
• Protein 7 g

Winter Lentil Soup

I just happen to have some lentils and sweet potatoes on hand, so this might get a try this weekend.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained (no salt added to lower to sodium level a bit)
  
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 1/2 cup brown lentils
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce; optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, breaking them up with a spoon, for 5 minutes.
2. Add 6 cups water and bring to a boil. Stir in the sweet potatoes, kale, lentils, thyme, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer until the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Spoon into bowls and top with the Parmesan, if using.

By Sara Quessenberry, March 2006

Nutritional Information

• Per Serving
• Calories 226Calories From Fat 21%

• Fat 4g
• Sat Fat 1g
• Cholesterol 3mg
• Sodium 799mg
• Protein 12g
• Carbohydrate 38g
• Fiber 7g

SOURCE: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/winter-lentil-soup-10000001151425/index.html

Apple Parsnip Soup

Vegetarian Apple-Parsnip Soup

Ingredients

Homemade Vegetarian broth:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, peeled and diced

4 carrots, peeled and diced

1/2 celery stalk, diced

2 leeks, cleaned and diced

2 bay leaves

2 branches thyme

3 tomatoes, diced, or 6 ounces canned San Marzano plum tomatoes

A few sprigs of parsley

A few sprigs of chervil

Salt to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

------------------------------------------

Soup:

1 pound parsnips, peeled and diced

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter or pareve margarine

6 shallots, diced

4 tart apples, peeled and diced

1 cup cider

8 cups vegetable broth (see above)

Salt to taste

White pepper to taste

A few gratings of nutmeg

1 teaspoon cider vinegar (optional)

Preparation

1. To make the broth: heat the olive oil very slowly in a large pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery and leeks and sauté until the onions are transparent.

2. Add 10 cups of water along with the bay leaves, thyme and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat, half covered, for 45 minutes. During the last few minutes of cooking, add the parsley and chervil, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Put everything through a sieve and set the broth aside.

3. For the soup: put the parsnips and the lemon juice in a large bowl. Cover with water and let sit until you are ready to make the soup. Drain and dry the parsnips.

4. Heat the olive oil and the butter in a heavy soup pot. Add the shallots, parsnips and apples and sauté for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are clear but not golden. Add the cider and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Then add the broth, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer slowly for 40 minutes. Add salt, white pepper and nutmeg.

5. Purée the soup in a blender or food processor, and, if you want more acidity, add the cider vinegar. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

My Name is Paulissa And I Am An Omnivore

I was given a good round of butt chewing over my use of the term vegetarian while still eating chicken occasionally. To put this into context, I have many friends who while eating vegetarian most of the time, enjoy the occasional fish or chicken dinner. Usually this occur once a month or so. Since they are more vegetarian than not (proportionally), they term themselves vegetarians. I never thought much of having to qualify it with a different term. I posted a link to a chicken recipe and the backlash and vitriol was swift and quite amazing. One woman told me that I would burn in hell for being so insensitive. It was certainly not meant to be offensive. Wow, really?????

To each his own but the vitriol for not using the term omnivore because chicken occasionally ends up on my menu. Oh the horror! I understand that the choice to eat or not eat meat is intensely personal and some people avoid it for moral objections, some people do it because they don't feel the food is safe, some decry cruelty and still others do it because their bodies rebel against the food. As for me, I am going gluten, soy and dairy free because those are the 3 things that contribute to endo and since there is no guarantee of no further adhesions even after the hysto tomorrow, I want to do what I can to keep from having any furtho endo surgeries. So. . .more plants and less processed foods and sugar figure into the mix with the side effect of weight loss.

I just don't believe in demonizing food and what people eat. Sure, some foods are healthier than others, but we have freedom of choice and should allow others to exercise theirs. For the record, I am not a big fan of labels. I believe they negate anything said after the label is used.

How to Meet Your Protein Needs without Meat

A Guide to Vegetarian Protein Sources

-- By Sarah Haan, Registered Dietitian and Nicole Nichols, Health Educator

Eating a vegetarian diet can be very healthful and rewarding. However, most vegetarians—including soon-to-be vegetarians and their meat-eating loved ones—are concerned about getting adequate protein. Most people are accustomed to getting protein from meat, but what else contains protein? Aren't plant-based proteins "incomplete" or lower quality?

Fortunately, with a bit of extra attention, you won't have any trouble meeting your protein needs just because you give up meat. There are so many protein-packed vegetarian options! Did you know that most foods, including vegetables, have some of the essential muscle-building nutrient? Without looking closely, it is easy to miss some great sources. (Who knew a cup of broccoli had 3 grams!)

Nuts, seeds, soy products, cereal, eggs and dairy are all good meatless protein choices. These groups of food each contain different amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and different levels of protein quality. There is no need to consume certain foods in special combinations as nutritionists once thought! When your diet includes a variety of each of these types of foods, you can rest assured that you're consuming all the amino acids you need for muscle growth and cell repair.

Nuts
Nuts provide a good dose of protein along with some heart-healthy fatty acids and antioxidants (vitamins A and E). They are also packed full of fiber. Take your pick! Many nuts have a significant source of protein ready to work for your body. Peanuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, and pine nuts are among the highest in protein, while chestnuts and hazelnuts, although they do still have some protein, are the lowest. Think out of the box when you’re adding nuts to your diet. They can be grated, toasted, ground or eaten raw and are great when combined with salads, wraps, soups and stews and baked goods. But pay special attention to portion size! Nuts are a great source of many nutrients, but do come with a hefty dose of calories, thanks to the healthy fats they contain. A single serving is just 1 oz! Many nuts are best when stored in a refrigerator, which helps keep their fats from going rancid (for up to 6 months).

Nuts, 1/4 cup	Protein	Calories	Fat
Peanuts, raw	9 g	207	18 g
Almonds, dry roasted	8 g	206	18 g
Pistachios	6 g	171	14 g
Hazelnuts	5 g	212	21 g
Pine nuts	5 g	229	23 g
Cashews, raw	5 g	197	16 g
Walnuts	4 g	164	16 g

Seeds
Seeds are another great way to grab a few grams of protein and many other nutrients. Healthful unsaturated fats, as well as phytochemicals, make seeds a powerhouse for heart disease and cancer prevention. Just a quarter cup of pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas) has 8.5 grams of protein. Add this amount to a salad or eat them plain for a quick snack. Sunflower seeds are easy to add to pasta or salads, or sandwich wraps, while sesame seeds are easily ground and sprinkled onto steamed veggies for a protein dusting.

Seeds (1/4 cup)	Protein	Calories	Fat
Hemp seeds	15 g	232	18 g
Pumpkin seeds, roasted	9 g	187	16 g
Flaxseed	8 g	191	13 g
Sunflower seeds, roasted	8 g	205	18 g
Sesame seeds, roasted	6 g	206	18 g

Legumes
Dried peas, beans and lentils belong to a group of food known as "pulses" or "legumes." Aside from soybeans, these plants have a very similar nutrient content, which includes a good dose of protein. On average, they have about 15 grams of protein per cup, and tagging along with the essentials protein are fiber and iron. Adding beans, lentils and dried peas to your meals is a great way to replace meat (a beef burrito can easily become a black bean burrito, for example) while still getting your much needed protein. Add pulses to soups, salads, omelets, burritos, casseroles, pasta dishes, and more! Make bean dips (such as hummus, which is made from garbanzo beans, or black bean dip) to spread on sandwiches and use as protein-packed dips for veggies or snack foods.

Legumes, 1 cup cooked	Protein	Calories	Fiber
Soybeans	29 g	298	10 g
Lentils	18 g	230	16 g
Split peas	16 g	231	16 g
Navy beans	16 g	258	12 g
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)	15 g	269	12 g
Black beans	15 g	227	15 g
Kidney beans	15 g	225	11 g
Lima beans	15 g	216	13 g
Pinto beans	14 g	234	15 g

Soy
Soybeans are a complete protein that is comparable in quality with animal proteins. Eating soybeans (and foods made from soybeans) has been growing trend in America for only five decades, but this protein-rich bean has been a staple in Asia for nearly 4,000 years! This plant powerhouse is used to create a variety of soy-based foods that are rich in protein: tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein (TVP, a convincing replacement for ground meat in recipes), soymilk and "meat analogs," such as vegetarian "chicken" or faux "ribs" are all becoming more popular as more Americans practice vegetarianism. To learn more about using tofu, read Tofu 101. To learn how soy may impact your health, click here.

Soy Foods	Protein	Calories	Fat
Soybeans, 1 cup cooked	29 g	298	10 g
Tempeh, 4 oz cooked	21 g	223	13 g
Edamame, 1 cup shelled	20 g	240	10 g
TVP, 1/4 cup dry	12 g	80	0 g
Soy nuts, 1/4 cup roasted	11 g	200	1 g
Tofu, 4 oz raw	9 g	86	5 g
Soy nut butter, 2 tablespoons	7 g	170	11 g
Soymilk, 1 cup sweetened	7 g	100	0.5 g
Soymilk, 1 cup unsweetened	7 g	80	0.5 g

Grains
In a culture that focuses largely on wheat, it's easy to overlook the many types of other grains available to us. Some of these grains are very high in protein and can be included in your diet for both whole-grain carbohydrates and muscle-building protein. Quinoa is unusually close to animal products in protein quality, making it an excellent grain to replace white rice or couscous. It can also be cooked and mixed with honey, berries and almonds in the morning for a protein-packed breakfast. Other grains high in protein include spelt, amaranth, oats and buckwheat. Choose whole-grain varieties of cereals, pastas, breads and rice for a more nutritious meal.

Grains	Protein	Calories	Fiber
Amaranth, 1 cup cooked	9 g	238	9 g
Quinoa, 1 cup cooked	9 g	254	4 g
Whole wheat pasta, 1 cup cooked	8 g	174	6 g
Barley, 1 cup cooked	7 g	270	14 g
Spelt, 4 oz cooked	6 g	144	4 g
Oats, 1 cup cooked	6 g	147	4 g
Bulgur, 1 cup cooked	6 g	151	8 g
Buckwheat, 1 cup cooked	6 g	155	5 g
Brown rice, 1 cup cooked	5 g	216	4 g
Whole wheat bread, 1 slice	4 g	128	3 g
Sprouted grain bread, 1 slice	4 g	80	3 g

Dairy
If you consume milk products, dairy is a great way to add some extra grams of protein to your day. Low-fat milk, cheese and yogurt are easily accessible, quick to pack and fun to incorporate into many meals and snacks. Whether you’re drinking a cup of skim milk with your dinner or grabbing some string cheese before you run errands, you can pack about 8 grams of protein into most servings of dairy. You’re also getting some bone-building calcium while you’re at it! Keep in mind that low-fat varieties of milk products are lower in calories and fat, but equal in calcium to the full-fat versions; low-fat varieties may also be higher in protein.

Dairy	Protein	Calories	Fat
Fat-free cottage cheese, 1 cup	31 g	160	1 g
2% cottage cheese, 1 cup	30 g	203	4 g
1% cottage cheese, 1 cup	28 g	163	2 g
Fat-free plain yogurt, 1 cup	14 g	137	0 g
Low-fat plain yogurt, 1 cup	13 g	155	4 g
Parmesan cheese, 1 oz grated	12 g	129	9 g
Whole milk yogurt, 1 cup	9 g	150	8 g
Goat's milk, 1 cup	9 g	168	10 g
1% milk, 1 cup	8 g	102	2 g
Swiss cheese, 1 oz	8 g	106	8 g
2% milk, 1 cup	8 g	121	7 g
3.25% (whole) milk, 1 cup	8 g	146	8 g
Low-fat cheddar/Colby cheese, 1 oz	7 g	49	2 g
Part-skim mozzarella cheese, 1 oz	7 g	72	5 g
Provolone cheese, 1 oz	7 g	100	8 g
Cheddar cheese, 1 oz	7 g	114	9 g
Blue cheese, 1 oz	6 g	100	8 g
American cheese, 1 oz	6 g	106	9 g
Goat cheese, 1 oz	5 g	76	6 g
Feta cheese, 1 oz	4 g	75	6 g
Part-skim ricotta cheese, 1 oz	3 g	39	2 g

Eggs
Eggs contain the highest biologic value protein available. What this means is that an egg has a near perfect combination of amino acids within its shell; when assessing protein quality of all other foods (including meat), nutrition experts compare them to the egg. This doesn’t mean that all other sources of protein are less healthful or less important but does mean that an egg is an awesome way to get a few grams of protein. At 6 grams for one large egg, there are endless ways to add it to your diet. Salads, sandwiches, breakfasts or snack—an egg can fit in anytime!

Eggs	Protein	Calories	Fat
Egg, 1 boiled	6 g	68	5 g
Egg white, 1 cooked	5 g	17	0 g
Liquid egg substitute, 1.5 fl oz	5 g	23	0 g

As you can see, protein is EVERYWHERE in our diet, and even without meat you can get enough every day; you just have to look in the right places! For more ideas for using these various plant-based proteins, check out our dailySpark series, Meat-Free Fridays for recipe and cooking ideas!

Selected Sources
Information Sheet: Protein from The Vegetarian Society (VegSoc.org)

Various nutrient profiles from The World's Healthiest Foods (WHFoods.com)

Southwestern Rice & Pinto Bean Salad

From EatingWell: April/May 2005

The slightly chewy texture of ruddy-red Wehani rice makes it perfect for salads. Serve it mounded on a bed of Boston lettuce or curly frisée.

6 servings, 1 1/3 cups each

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Diabetes appropriate | Low calorie | Low cholesterol | Low saturated fat | Low sodium | Heart healthy | Healthy weight | High fiber | Gluten free |

Ingredients

• 1 cup Wehani brown rice, (see Note) or brown basmati rice
• 2-2 1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, or 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed and peeled
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 15-ounce cans pinto beans, rinsed
• 8 scallions, trimmed and sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 medium bell pepper, (green, yellow, orange or red), chopped (about 1 cup)

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Preparation

1. Combine rice and water (2 cups water if using brown basmati) in a 3-quart saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until all the water has been absorbed, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat; let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Spread the rice out on a large baking sheet until cooled to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, toast cumin in a small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes for seeds, 1 minute for ground cumin. Transfer to a blender or food processor and let cool for several minutes. Add oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper and process until the garlic is finely chopped.
3. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and toss with beans, scallions and bell pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

• Note: Wehani rice, an aromatic brown rice related to basmati, has a sweet, nutty flavor, a light reddish color, and splits like wild rice when cooked. It can be found in the health-foods section of large supermarkets or at natural-foods stores.

Nutrition

Per serving: 325 calories; 11 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 49 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 10 g protein; 9 g fiber; 125 mg sodium; 513 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value), Fiber (38% dv), Iron (20% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 very lean meat, 1 1/2 fat